Written by: Tom Wilson + Madelyn Jade | Sunday 18th February 2024
Photos by: Tracy McLaughlan >> SEE PHOTOS

"KLASH OF THE TITANS - KREATOR + IN FLAMES
The Tivoli, Sunday 18th February 2024"

And so it ends. Tonight, at The Tivoli, the Klash of the Titans tour comes to a close in front of a packed house of sweaty metalheads. The line to get in stretches all the way to the end of the block, and even though its moving, the end is still nowhere in sight. Clearly, this is the place to be tonight.

First up tonight is German thrashers KREATOR, who recently celebrated four decades of thrash. It’s humbling to be in the pit for a band who have been doing their thing since before I was born. The stage is adorned with grisly spectacles – the band flanked by two bodies on pikes as more hang from nooses overhead, and a giant grey statue looms over the drum riser. In my recent interview with frontman Mille, he let slip what song they were opening with, so I make sure I’m in a good position when they tear into Hate Uber Alles. The pit erupts, and doesn’t relent for the rest of their set. People of the Lie has Mille orchestrate the first wall of death of the night, and the bloke across from me laughs when he realises he’s about to be slammed into by the biggest guy in the pit. On Enemy of God, he invites the pit to send crowdsurfers over the barrier, and much to the security’s horror, even invites those on the upper balcony to jump down. Fortunately, no one takes him up on it. He literally waves the Flag of Hate, before closing out the set with Violent Revolution and an absolutely brutal Pleasure To Kill. A stunning set from a band who show absolutely no sign of slowing down.

Next up is Gothenburg melodic death metal titans IN FLAMES, who waste absolutely no time plunging into Forgone Pt. 1, and the already sweltering crowd is ablaze once more, before Pinball Map sends punters bouncing around the crowd like … well, you know. Andres is his typically charming self, taking time to introduce the band and thank the crowd for not constantly filming with their phones, and instead just being in the moment as the Swedes take them through a sixteen-song journey. Cloud Connected is absolutely huge – Andres screams unfurling up to the Tivoli roof – and they close out the night with the epic Take This Life. This is the second double-header gig I’ve seen in a week, and I am all about it. No paltry support sets, just two massive shows from bands who are both carrying themselves like headliners. I hope we get more of them.

Photos by: Tracy McLaughlan - Kaotic images
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